ACCESSION NUMBER:336945 FILE ID:POL204 DATE:04/05/94 TITLE:DEFENSE DEPARTMENT REPORT, TUESDAY, APRIL 5 (04/05/94) TEXT:*94040504.POL DEFENSE DEPARTMENT REPORT, TUESDAY, APRIL 5 (Korean peninsula, Pacific military exercise, Bosnia, U.S.-Kuwaiti exercise) (610) NEWS BRIEFING -- Spokesman Kathleen deLaski discussed the following topics: U.S. POLICY ON NORTH KOREA HAS BEEN CONSISTENT DeLaski said the United States is pursuing diplomacy "as far as it will go" with respect to North Korea and its nuclear weapons program. Defense Secretary Perry is trying to be "very careful" during this period of diplomacy and is not trying to match the rhetoric coming out of North Korea "word for word," deLaski said. U.S. policy regarding North Korea's nuclear program has been "remarkably consistent," calling for Pyongyang to freeze its program "wherever it is" and then to "roll it back," the spokesman said. Asked what the United States might do if diplomatic efforts to resolve the North Korean crisis fail, she said that Perry does not want to rule "anything out." DeLaski also said U.S. officials believe the joint U.S.-South Korean "Team Spirit" military exercise will take place, although discussions continue with the South Koreans about timing and other logistics for the maneuvers. "We don't want to do anything that would drive a wedge between the U.S. and South Korea," the spokesman said, so planning will proceed "in concert with their timetable and...needs." The status of Team Spirit will be a key topic for discussion during Perry's scheduled trip to Seoul this month, she said. DeLaski said assessments of North Korea's nuclear capabilities vary, with estimates ranging between two nuclear devices and none at all. She also said the first U.S. transport ship with Patriot anti-missile systems destined for South Korea left its West coast port on April 4. A second ship will follow "shortly," the spokesman said, but the U.S. troops needed for the deployment will fly to South Korea at a later date. The United States is in the process of identifying some additional military materiel and supplies for use in South Korea, but nothing has been deployed yet, she added. U.S. FORCES IN PACIFIC GEAR UP FOR COMPUTER SIMULATION The annual command post exercise "Tempo Brave" 94-1 -- a computer simulation involving U.S. forces from Hawaii, Guam, Japan and the USS Blue Ridge -- will take place from April 7 to 21, deLaski said. No actual combat units are being deployed as part of the exercise, which is designed to train military staffs "in interactive crisis action planning and execution related to a realistic crisis scenario in the Pacific," according to a Pentagon statement. 1.S. POLICY ON BOSNIA DISCUSSED The United States will not be a combatant in the Bosnian conflict to halt aggressive actions by Serbian forces, deLaski said. However if the conditions change in Gorazde or any other city, the spokesman explained, so that "a Sarajevo-type exclusion zone would be effective, then the U.S. would certainly support such a move within the U.N. and the NATO process." DeLaski also said Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman John Shalikashvili discussed the subject of "streamlining the process" for NATO and United Nations command and control in Bosnia during his recent trip to the Balkans. OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: U.S.-KUWAITI MARITIME EXERCISE UNDERWAY "Native Fury 94," a U.S.-Kuwaiti maritime prepositioning exercise in the northern Persian Gulf and Kuwait, commenced April 4 and will continue through April 25.. The annual military exercise is being conducted under the framework of the Defense Cooperation Agreement between the two countries. Elements of the exercise include off-loading a maritime prepositioning ship, transporting equipment to a field training area, and navigation and aerial strike drills. NNNN .